Little Do You Know
by GallifreyanFairytale
Summary: Outlaw Queen one-shot based on the song 'Little Do You Know' by Alex and Sierra


**Author's Note:** **I was listening to the song 'Little Do You Know' by Alex and Sierra and that song just _screams_ Outlaw Queen to me, and of course, that means fan fiction inspiration. I tried something a little different with this, so just stick with it.**

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 _Little do you know how I'm breaking while you fall asleep_

 _Little do you know I'm still haunted by the memories_

 _Little do you know I'm trying to pick myself up piece by piece_

 _Little do you know I_

 _Need a little more time_

It's at night when the memories come back most. The sun shining in the sky, as if laughing at Regina's loss of another happy ending. The green of Robin's jacket and the vibrant blue of her own. The feel of Robin's hand slipping out of her own for what was thought to be forever.

And though Robin is right next to her, Regina fears she'll wake up and he'll be gone again, swept away because it's all been just a dream. Robin sleeps soundly next to Regina. Most nights, Regina has an arm laying over Robin's chest, to make sure he's still there. Other nights, Robin falls asleep with Regina wrapped in his arms. It's those nights she feels safest and surest of his existence.

It's hard, but Regina slowly begins to believe that Robin isn't going to leave her again, not by choice, at least. It takes much longer for her to accept that Robin is truly back than it took for her to accept that Zelena was going to have a baby, which doesn't seem possible, definitely not for the Evil Queen. But that's how it happens; the baby is there to stay, something meant to hinder her happy ending. Regina can deal with that. But Robin back for good? Now that seems impossible.

 _Underneath it all, I'm held captive by the hole inside_

 _I've been holding back for the fear that you might change your mind_

 _I'm ready to forgive you, but forgetting is a harder fight_

 _Little do you know I_

 _Need a little more time_

As hard as Regina tries to forget the times she lost Robin, the memories still swirl around in her mind, mingling with her fears. They're like inky black clouds that refuse to leave. At night, the clouds take over her thoughts. They create a storm in her mind, a storm of worries and fears. The only escape is for Regina to fall asleep, where nightmares surely await her. Nightmares of losing Robin again, in any way her mind can think of.

But the one nightmare that makes Regina wake up more shaken than any other is the one where he chooses Zelena. For the moments after she wakes up, Regina feels it's ridiculous. Then the fears come creeping in. She's already forgiven him for the baby. He didn't know, and Regina understands that. Pan switched bodies with Henry and Regina didn't notice, despite how out of character he was acting as Regina knows now. Regina had been blind with the want for Henry to still need her, and Robin had probably been blind with something too. The need for love, perhaps.

However, the baby only worsens Regina's nightmare. The night she has it, she's up hours afterwords. She moves downstairs so she can walk around some without waking Robin.

It's nearly 3:30 in the morning when Regina feels strong arms wrap around her waist. She breathed in Robin's forest scent and can't help but smile a little.

"What are you doing up, Milady?" He asks.

"Nothing." It's true, but not the full truth. Regina doesn't want to lie to Robin, but she doesn't want to tell him about her nightmares either. She doesn't want him to feel responsible for them.

"Please, Regina. Something's bothering you. What is it?"

Regina turns around to face Robin. She tells him about her nightmares, or tries to, at least. About halfway through, she breaks down. Robin pulls her closer. He can feel her tears wetting his shirt, but he doesn't mind.

 _I'll wait, I'll wait_

 _I love you like you've never felt the pain,_

 _I'll wait_

 _I promise you don't have to be afraid,_

 _I'll wait_

 _This love is here, and here to stay,_

 _So lay your head on me_

Robin listens to every word Regina says and comforts her through the tears. Even after the tears have stopped, Regina keeps her head buried in Robin's chest. Robin runs a hand through her hair. He knows she's stopped crying, but doesn't want to push her anymore.

After a silence, Regina speaks. "I should have told you earlier. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I won't pretend I know what you're going through, Regina, but I will stay with you. I promise."

Regina looks up at Robin. Robin can see the thousands of emotions running through her mind in her eyes, but one is prominent. Love. The love that Robin so often wonders how he thought he could live without. Regina pulls Robin down into a kiss. It's soft and gentle, like a summer breeze on a cloudless day.

Regina doesn't want to fall back asleep that night, so Robin stays awake with her. Regina turns on the TV and the two watch a show Robin has never heard of before. He doesn't know what's going on most of the time. It's hard when he still has trouble remembering the difference between a stove and an oven. He watches anyways. Regina is leaning her head on his shoulder, and Robin has an arm wrapped her her. The volume on the TV is low because Roland is still asleep upstairs. Henry is at Emma's for the night.

The two stay on the couch until Roland comes downstairs, declaring that he's hungry. Regina makes breakfast while Robin and Roland set the table.

 _Little do you know I know you're hurting while I'm sound asleep_

 _Little do you know all my mistakes are slowly drowning me_

 _Little do you know I'm trying to make it better piece by piece_

 _Little do you know I,_

 _I love you till the sun dies_

Robin won't pretend he didn't know Regina was having nightmares. He could feel that something wasn't right. He didn't want to fall asleep while something was wrong, but he didn't want to push her into anything either. On the nights when he could feel something was wrong the most, he wrapped her in his arms before drifting off to sleep.

When Regina tells him about her fear of him choosing Zelena, it hits him how much damage he really did. He knows Regina has forgiven him, but he's having trouble forgiving himself. He does what he can to comfort her, and promises to never let her go.

When Regina falls asleep the next night, Robin is still awake. Regina is curled up next to him, wrapped in his arms. Robin places a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I love you so much," he mutters before sleep takes over his body as well.

 _Oh wait, just wait_

 _I love you like I've never felt the pain,_

 _Just wait_

 _I love you like I've never been afraid,_

 _Just wait_

 _Our love is here and here to stay,_

 _So lay your head on me_

Regina is never able to understand how Robin can love the former Evil Queen. Then again, how did the Charmings and Emma forgive her? She's also never able to understand what made her open her heart to love again. Figuratively, because her heart wasn't actually in her chest when she kissed Robin for the first time.

Robin knows Regina doesn't feel like she deserves love sometimes, but that just gives him a better reason to lover her even more. He won't forget about Marian, and Regina won't forget about Daniel. That's just the way it is. But some days, it feels as if neither of their first loves existed. The pain of losing a love can never be completely erased, but it can be dulled until it's nothing but a memory.

 _I'll wait, I'll wait_

 _I'll wait, I'll wait_

 _I love you like you've never felt the pain,_

 _I'll wait, I'll wait_

 _I promise you don't have to be afraid,_

 _I'll wait_

 _The love is here, and here to stay,_

 _So lay your head on me_

 _Lay your head on me_

 _So lay your head on me_

It's months after they find Emma and save her from the Darkness, and after weeks of a villainless Storybrooke when Robin proposes to Regina. He and Roland have been living at Regina's house before that, but had never actually taken the time to get married.

The wedding is small. Regina doesn't want to invite many people because her wedding with King Leopold was full of guests, most of whom, she didn't know. Robin is fine with a small wedding. They invite the Charmings, the Golds, Emma, Killian, Tinker Bell, and the merry men. Doctor Hopper acts as the preacher, mostly because he's the only one in Storybrooke who can legally do it.

For their honeymoon, Regina and Robin go see a movie in a theatre an hour outside of Storybrooke. Neither of them want to think about getting closer to New York City than that. Emma, Henry, and Roland spend the night after the wedding at the Charmings' so Regina and Robin can have the night to themselves.

It doesn't take long for Roland to start calling Regina "Mama," and Robin doesn't mind. Henry claims it feels weird to think of Robin as his dad, especially with Emma and Killian engaged now.

Three months after the wedding, Zelena's baby arrives. They let Zelena pick out the name, and she chooses Merida. Regina and Robin raise Merida together, and Zelena is allowed to see her once every month for an hour. When Zelena decides she wants to be allowed more visitation right, Regina agrees. Zelena is allowed to move out of the asylum and i to her own apartment, though she is required to keep the cuff on. By Merida's second birthday, she is living with Zelena full time.

Regina knows Zelena raising Merida is for the best, though she can't help but wish it was still her and Robin raising the young red-headed girl. That is, until Mary Margaret gives Regina a present.

"It would have been for your wedding, but with Zelena already having her baby, I thought I should wait," Mary Margaret explains. "It's water from Lake Nostos. It will reverse the effects of the infertility curse.

Hope Mary Locksley is born ten moths later. Her hair is dark like Regina's, but her eyes are bright blue, identical to Robin's. Hope grows up with a bigger family than Regina could have ever imagined. She has the Charmings, Golds, Jones, Maleficent, Lily, and Zelena, as well as the merry men.

Soon, Regina's constant worrying shrinks to nothing. She forgets about the nightmares and worries she used to have, though she will occasionally wake up in a cold sweat after reliving losing Robin in a nightmare. Robin is always there to comfort her, though, and the fears go away much faster now.

 _Little do you know I,_

 _I love you till the sun dies_

Robin slips into bed quietly, careful not to wake Regina. Roland and Hope are both asleep, and Henry is at the Jones'. Robin takes Regina into his arms and she stirs slightly, but doesn't wake up. He whispers to her, telling her how much he loves her, before he falls asleep as well.


End file.
